BATMAN: THE DARK NIGHT

Starring: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Heath Ledger, Maggie Gylenhaal, Aaron eckhart, Gary Oldman
Script:Christopher Nolan, Jonathan Nolan, David S. Goyer
Director: Christopher Nolan
Producers: Christopher Nolan, Charles Roven, Emma Thomas

Running Time: 150 mins
Country: USA, UK
Year: 2008

Official Site:
thedarkknight.warnerbros.com

Christopher Nolan is used to success, being the director behind such movies as Momento, the Prestige and The Dark Knight's predecessor Batman Begins, so the fans were expecting something good.

The Dark Knight has exploded onto the big screen, becoming the fastest film ever to make $400 million dollars. This summer we have had a variety of superhero films such as Ironman, The Incredible Hulk and Hellboy II. So what makes The Dark Knight so special?

Christian Bale returns as the caped crusader, spreading fear through the hearts of the criminals in the corrupt Gotham city. He is joined in his crusade with the help of new DA Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), who is now the boyfriend of Rachel Dawes (now played by Maggie Gylenhaal), Batman's ex-lover from the first film. Batman is hoping for an early retirement as Dent takes on the crime lords with unmatched success. Unfortunately this vision is short lived when the irresistibly evil force of the Joker (Heath Ledger) shows up.

As Batman travels to Japan to arrest the head of Gotham City’s mafia, the Joker tightens his strangle hold on Gotham. He is a villain that wants nothing back, he cannot be bribed, intimidated or reasoned with, and as Alfred (Michael Cain) describes, he “just wants to watch the world burn”.
Nolan shows that life is never as clear as good verses evil. The Joker forces Batman, Lt Gordon (Gary Oldman) and Dent to make impossible ethical decisions that threaten to destroy the moral foundation for which they stand for. The characters blur and slide along the line of good and evil. As an audience we have to dig to a greater level of understanding to find what it truly means to be a hero.

Visually the film combines highflying stunts with state of the art special effects that leave a lasting impression. The action sequences are creative, filled with energy and well executed. Just like Nolan’s Insomnia he uses the arena to its full potential and openly boasts that there are no limits to what he can do.

Heath Ledger is unrecognisable from his Oscar nominated role in Brokeback Mountain (2005), but he loses none of his class. Ledger’s psychopathic portrayal is demonstrated with disturbing enjoyment and horrific charisma.

Like most good comic book stories, this story deals with deep fears, fantasies and hopes that have been wonderfully brought into a reality we can all relate to. However, no matter how hard Nolan tries to make Batman 'real' like the Bourne Identity, he remains a man dressed in a latex bat suit.

The film runs for two and a half hours, and it needs every second as Nolan has a complex story to tell. However, at times, it feels like there is just too much story to juggle with and so consequently stories become rushed and misshapen. Harvey Dent’s character transformation from ‘Gotham’s white knight’ to the bitter Two Face seems rushed and wild.

Although the film feels that it is trying too hard it is ultimately successful in the areas that count. It holds impressive performances from an all star cast, and an exhilarating level of violence that make you wonder how on earth it managed to get away with a 12A certificate.

Is it the best film ever made? No. Is it worth seeing? Yes. As it already had an audience prepared through the last film it is unsurprising that it is making huge profits. Not to mention the tragically unfortunate death of Heath Ledger giving the most intense performance of his life. However you want to look at it, you should see it.